My stay at La Casa Grande in Agios Ioannis was fantastic! The house is beautifully remodelled on the inside while keeping its original flavour on the outside. Nikos and Georgia diligently took care of my needs, so I could focus on writing. Immersing myself in the peaceful, relaxing rustic environment was a valuable experience for me.
I enjoyed hiking along farm roads and seeing sheep, goats, chickens, cats, and dogs. Sometimes, I could also see sheep across the street while working on the balcony. The healthy, locally sourced, homemade Mediterranean meal that was delivered once a day was always delicious and very high quality, and there was always an abundance of food in the house for snacking on. I was there in December, and plenty of wood was available to keep the cozy fireplace going. The luxurious bar soaps, laundry detergent, and softener are all homemade and organic.
If you want a nice place where you can focus on your writing, then I highly recommend this retreat!
Urania J. Fung is an English professor at Tarrant County College, TX since 2010.
She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Texas State University, and her MA in English from Sam Houston State University where she saw a power in poetry that she employs in her fiction to this day.
Urania has hosted WORDfest (a festival of writer organizations around the Dallas/Fort Worth area) at TCC since 2017. She has also been a panelist at Polaris 24 and ArmadilloCons 34, 36, and 38.
Her short stories have been published in the fantasy anthologies Immersion (A Debate over the Hopping Undead), The Dragon & The Stars (The Right to Eat Decent Food) & Ages of Wonder (Mist Wraith).
Urania spent more than two weeks staying in La Casa Grande in December 2019.